]]>Every great action story needs a villain, and every great action villain needs an enforcer. Going all the way back to the days of Beelzebub getting his hands dirty for the big man downstairs, right-hand men have been key to setting tremendous conflict into motion. Be it in District 9 or your classic Bond flick, these goons wreak varying degrees of havoc with motivations that range from personal vendettas to on-the-clock hooliganism.

In Neill Blomkamp’s forthcoming action-thriller Elysium, Matt Damon’s character Max will square off against one of the most cunning baddies to ever sleaze up the screen. So to commemorate the release of Columbia TriStar’s sci-fi/action smash-up Elysium, opening in theaters on August 9th, we’re stoked to present you with the seven greatest action movie enforcers.

Kruger, Elysium

What would happen if you had to deputize Patrick Bateman from American Psycho to get the job done? That is essentially the quandary posed and answered in Elysium when Jodie Foster’s Secretary Delacourt must let Kruger out of his cage. As the most sadistic post-apocalyptic baddie this side of The Road Warrior, Sharlto Copley goes against type in this role, delivering a sinewy psycho whose sense of duty is outweighed by an oddly playful bloodlust. Despite the high-tech noodlery of the year 2154, Kruger proves that sometimes a nice, rusty machete is all a fella needs to take the edge off of a bad day at work.

Jaws, Various James Bond Movies

You gotta be doing some serious henchman-ing to be considered the most ridiculous Bond villain. It just wasn’t enough to just have the durability to survive falling out of a plane, driving off of a cliff and fighting off a shark based on brute strength alone; this guy needed to have a grill that would make Lil’ Wayne blush on top of it! Pointlessly chewing his way out of situations and into our hearts, even Jaws could not survive Moonraker, which to this day serves as the apex of Bond franchise goofdickery next to that one with the voodoo and the chubby sheriff. It’s amazing, given the array of Bond villains spoofed in the Austin Powers franchise, that Jaws never quite made the cut.

Luca Brasi, The Godfather

That whole horse-head-in-a-bed thing? Luca’s handiwork. He may have been a towering, stuttering creep, but as Vito Corleone’s undercover muscle, Brasi was a terrific iceman because he didn’t require a crew to make a hit. Sadly, that whole lone wolf thing was precisely what lead to his downfall when three goons from the Sollozzo family saw to it that Luca slept with the fishes. Fun fact: On the low-key hired-killer tip, if you apply the lyrics of the Suzanne Vega song to this character, it kind of lines up: he doesn’t want you asking about some kind of trouble, some kind of fight. Just don’t ask him what it was.

Odd Job, Goldfinger

Caddy. Cheaffeur. Assassin. Odd Job wore many hats, but the most useful of them all would have to be the one with the razor-brim on it. When he wasn’t busy decapitating statues in Goldfinger’s front yard, the dapper merc could be found enjoying his favorite hobbies: tenaciously following 007 around, accepting pain from 007 with menacing smirks and tending to his derby cap with shocking aplomb. They just don’t make goons like this anymore; the guy helped his boss kill a woman by painting her to death. Sigh.

Karl, Die Hard

Karl, like most Germans, ist a herr who knows precisely what he wants. For example, in the great takeover of Nakatomi Plaza, after his brother Tony (?) has been brutally pwned by John McClane, Karl informs his compatriots “AAAAAARGH! I want blood!” While Karl, like most Germans, would likely have been extremely efficient at his job, he became that much more deft with a Steyr AUG rifle with the added incentive of avenging said mangled brother. But Karl, unlike most Germans, had a mullet so strong that it could resist getting lynched by industrial chains, only to have it blown clean off by Carl Winslow. Never work with family.

Colonel Kobus Venter, District 9

The bulldog of Multi-National United, Kobus tromps through the ghettos of District 9, gleefully keeping the weak and disadvantaged underfoot while on the clock. His villainy reaches near-comical heights, akin to the treacherous cheese of an 80’s WWF antagonist, making him a perfect foil to the ebullient Wikus Van De Merwe. Despite keeping his cool in the line of duty, Koobus’ urge to bully Wikus is exactly what makes him lose his head.

Kobayashi, The Usual Suspects

Unlike many of the brutal hatchet men on this list, Kobayashi is adept at the hands-off approach in carrying out the misdoings of his benefactor, the notorious Keyser Söze. An evil precursor to the sharp-tongued Dr. King Schultz of Django Unchained, Kobayashi delivers unflinching speeches that intimidate hardasses into backing down and scratching their heads. Just try to pin down that accent: is he Pakistani? Japanese? Irish? As the man himself said, “one cannot be betrayed if one has no people.”

]]>We’ve wringed our hands and grit our teeth long enough. The time is finally here to geek out over our first look at Neill Blomkamp‘sElysium.

In the first still from the director’s District 9 follow-up, we see that Matt Damon is reprising the cameo role he played in EuroTrip. Though, the events that would transform a Rollins wannabe from the suburbs into a big honkin’ gun-wielding man in the fight for his life on a dystopian Earth haven’t been explained yet. It’s also not explained whether or not he’s still tapping Kristin Kreuk‘s Fiona. But I have trust that Blomkamp will explain it all and have it make sense. District 9 was sooooo good.

In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.
Along with the names already mentioned, the film co-stars Wagner Moura, William Fichtner, Alice Braga and Diego Luna and is set to be released in theaters on March 1, 2013. (RopeofSilicon)

]]>Paramount’s The Devil Inside caused film analysts to spit out the water they’d just taken a big sip of when it debuted as the first huge hit of 2012. The film (which was made for $34) nabbed the top spot at the box office with an opening of $34 million. That’s huge! And good news for the creaky, breaking bones lady in the commercial; She’s certain to be the toast of the town now. Can’t wait to see photos of her breaking her bones for paparrazi outside da clubs.

What’s most surprising here is that The Devil Inside garnered the very rare F rating from a thing called CinemaScore that apparently Joe Q. “I Wanna See Bones Twist” Public doesn’t check in with before buying a movie ticket. That, combined with the impressive box office, make the film a surprise hit like the films listed below.

District 9

Budget: $30 million – Worldwide box office: $211 million

District 9 defied expectations when it toppled G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and The Time Traveler’s Wife in its first week of release. Very little was known about the film’s plot, lead, or director when it opened strong. Analysts then anticipated for its revenue to fall off after week one, following Cloverfield’sexample, but great word of mouth and awesome special effects pushed the sci-fi action commentary on to be a global phenomenon.

Slumdog Millionaire

Budget: $15 million – Worldwide box office: $362 million

Starring a cast completely unknown to American audiences, the Danny Boyle-directed film became the darling of the Academy Awards after its release in 2008. When the critics began to notice the film, the film then opened wide reaping a huge box office and making a household name out of Virendra Chatterjee.

]]>In a risky new marketing concept, Amanda Hocking‘s Trylle Trilogy is going to be made into a movie with a script from District 9‘s Terri Tatchell. And this isn’t one of those sure thing Hollywood cash-ins – this is a movie that breaks new ground in the field of shit teenage girls will lose their minds about:

“When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn’t until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed – a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy’s not sure she wants to be a part of it.”

Whoa! It remains to be seen if a movie about young people and their sexy supernatural goings-on will be successful, but I for one have always been a fan of the underdog. (/Film)

]]>http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/district-9-writer-hopes-a-movie-based-on-a-supernatural-romance-novel-will-be-successful/feed/0district9poster1Is There An Alien Sleeper Cell Inside ‘District 9’?http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/is-there-an-alien-sleeper-cell-inside-district-9/
http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/is-there-an-alien-sleeper-cell-inside-district-9/#commentsThu, 13 Jan 2011 06:10:25 +0000http://www.screenjunkies.com/?p=15909Bill Block, half of the producing team behind the surprise hit District 9, is developing a new science fiction movie. Will it be... the next District 9?

]]>Buzz around a new movie project has taken hold of the blogosphere like mysterious fluid that turns humans into prawns. Bill Block, half of the producing team behind the surprise hit District 9, is developing a new science fiction movie. Everybody’s wondering if this will be the “new” District 9. With so little info to go on, I’m gonna have to say, “yes, absolutely I am 100% sure that’s the case.”

Here’s what we do know: the title is Alien Sleeper Cell, which is an awesome title. The film is about “otherworldly beasties,” which sounds promising.The script was written by a new writer, Morgan Davis Foehl, whose biggest credit is an assistant editor on I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. I’m not gonna assume too much from that credit, since we all do jobs we’re not necessarily proud of for money. By the way, please don’t Google my name + Ultimate Magic Brothel – thanks!

]]>http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/is-there-an-alien-sleeper-cell-inside-district-9/feed/0district 9Jodie Foster To Make a Good Sci-Fi Moviehttp://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/jodie-foster-to-make-a-good-sci-fi-movie/
http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/jodie-foster-to-make-a-good-sci-fi-movie/#commentsMon, 03 Jan 2011 20:49:03 +0000http://www.screenjunkies.com/?p=13939Neil Blomkamp is on a roll. The District 9 director just snagged Jodie Foster, who needs to make up for Contact, for his as-of-yet unexplained sci-fi picture, Elysium

]]>Neil Blomkamp is on a roll. The District 9 director just snagged Jodie Foster, who needs to make up for Contact, for his as-of-yet unexplained sci-fi picture, Elysium, racking up some major star power in the process. Matt Damon is already on board, having committed early last month, and Sherlock Holmes writer Simon Kinberg set to produce. District 9 star Sharlto Copley (the dude who lost his fingernails) will also appear.

Blomkamp is keeping the film’s plot under wraps, but the few clues he has provided indicate that Elysium will take place on an alien planet sometime in the future. There will be an abundance of sociopolitical commentary, violence, and sociopolitical violence, which everyone knows is the best kind because it really makes you think, you know? (Deadline)

]]>http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/jodie-foster-to-make-a-good-sci-fi-movie/feed/0Jodie-Foster-ElysiumSam Raimi Is Assembling ‘Earth Defense Force’http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/sam-raimi-is-assembling-earth-defense-force/
http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/sam-raimi-is-assembling-earth-defense-force/#commentsWed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000"I'ma step out for a few, and I want all this sh*t cleaned up by the time I get back."
Would you guys go see Battleship if Sam Raimi produced or directed it? Because he's pretty much doing that. He's not involved in Battleship per se, but he and District 9 producer Bill Block are working together to get the sci-fi epic EDF (Earth Defense Force) off the ground.
The story sounds like the usual aliens vs. Earth fare. It begins when a squad of aviators venture into Chinese waters to rescue a submarine's distress call. When they get there, the Chinese attack. Naturally, it's all an alien trap that both sides have foolishly walked into and they are blown out of the sky. Then the aliens go and jack up a bunch of landmarks and military bases before disappearing. Earth then must put its differences aside and pull it together before the aliens return and house our remaining landmarks. F*cking aliens, man. No word yet on whether Raimi will direct but it's more likely he will serve as a producer. At any rate, let's hope Bruce Campbell still has that Admiral costume from a few Halloweens ago. (Vulture)

"I’ma step out for a few, and I want all this sh*t cleaned up by the time I get back."

Would you guys go see Battleship if Sam Raimi produced or directed it? Because he’s pretty much doing that. He’s not involved in Battleship per se, but he and District 9 producer Bill Block are working together to get the sci-fi epic EDF (Earth Defense Force) off the ground.

The story sounds like the usual aliens vs. Earth fare. It begins when a squad of aviators venture into Chinese waters to rescue submarine‘s distress call. When they get there, the Chinese attack. Naturally, it’s all an alien trap that both sides have foolishly walked into and they are blown out of the sky. Then the aliens go and jack up a bunch of landmarks and military bases before disappearing. Earth then must put its differences aside and pull it together before the aliens return and house our remaining landmarks. F*cking aliens, man. No word yet on whether Raimi will direct but it’s more likely he will serve as a producer. At any rate, let’s hope Bruce Campbell still has that Admiral costume from a few Halloweens ago. (Vulture)

]]>http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/sam-raimi-is-assembling-earth-defense-force/feed/0Is ‘District 10′ Filming This Fall?http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/is-district-10-filming-this-fall/
http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/is-district-10-filming-this-fall/#commentsWed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000Break open a celebratory tin of cat food! A source at Weta has told MarketSaw that a sequel to District 9 is in pre-production and will go before cameras this October. Peter Jackson will once again produce with Neill Blomkamp back in the director's chair. There's no word yet about the plot or the title of the sequel. Though my well-placed sources (who wish to remain anonymous) tell me they may involve an Electric Boogaloo.

Break open a celebratory tin of cat food! A source at Weta has told MarketSaw that a sequel to District 9 is in pre-production and will go before cameras this October. Peter Jackson will once again produce with Neill Blomkamp back in the director’s chair. There’s no word yet about the plot or the title of the sequel. Though my well-placed sources (who wish to remain anonymous) tell me they may involve an Electric Boogaloo.

]]>http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/is-district-10-filming-this-fall/feed/0Cop These ‘District 9′ Gatshttp://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/cop-these-district-9-gats/
http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/cop-these-district-9-gats/#commentsWed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000Be the hardest geek in yo' hood with these life-size replicas of the burners from best picture nominee District 9. Them heads at Peter Jackson's Weta Workshop is slingin' the Gas Generator and Arc Generator pieces for 5 c-notes each. So, if you beefin' with some Trekkie who needs to get got, now you got the hardware to do so. Aaassa lama lakum, my brotha. (via /Film)

Be the hardest geek in yo’ hood with these life-size replicas of the burners from best picture nomineeDistrict 9. Them heads at Peter Jackson‘s Weta Workshop is slingin’ the Gas Generator and Arc Generator pieces for 5 c-notes each. So, if you beefin’ with some Trekkie who needs to get got, now you got the hardware to do so. Aaassa lama lakum, my brotha. (via /Film)

]]>http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/cop-these-district-9-gats/feed/0PEE-WEE HERMAN STAGES HIS COMEBACKhttp://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/pee-wee-herman-stages-his-comeback/
http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/pee-wee-herman-stages-his-comeback/#commentsWed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +00001980's nostalgia continues to boom as Paul Reubens has announced that he'll be dusting off the red bow-tie. The LA Times reports that Pee-wee Herman will perform onstage in Hollywood this November for a limited engagement at the Music Box @ Fonda. Perhaps if this run is successful it will lead to the big screen productions Reubens has been trying to get off the ground for the last nine years. The actor stated, "I've put part of him away for a long time but part of him has always been here with me. I think it will be like riding a bike -- which is not a bad analogy for Pee-wee, by the way." Although his humor is off the beaten track, I'm glad that Reubens decided to pound the pavement and put this show together. His laziness was beginning to rub me the wrong way. On an unrelated note, I wonder if he listens to The Strokes?Check out these big adventurous morning links...Exclusive interview with District 9 director Neill Blomkamp. (Latino Review) Wolverine Goes To Japan. (First Showing)Design a poster for Triangle. (Empire)Courtney Cox will say anything. (Dread Central)Kathryn Bigelow gets some action in Brazil. (Cinematical)Tara Reid back on the sauce. (Cinema Blend)

1980’s nostalgia continues to boom at Paul Reubens has announced that he’ll be dusting off the red bow-tie. The LA Times reports that Pee-wee Herman will perform onstage in Hollywood this November for a limited engagement at the Music Box @ Fonda. Perhaps if this run is successful it will lead to the big screen productions Reubens has been trying to get off the ground for the last nine years. The actor stated, "I’ve put part of him away for a long time but part of him has always been here with me. I think it will be like riding a bike — which is not a bad analogy for Pee-wee, by the way." Although his humor is off the beaten track, I’m glad that Reubens decided to pound the pavement and put this show together. His laziness was beginning to rub me the wrong way. On an unrelated note, I wonder if he listens to The Strokes?

]]>http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/pee-wee-herman-stages-his-comeback/feed/0THIS THURSDAY!! ‘DISTRICT 9′ MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS!!!http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/this-thursday-district-9-midnight-screenings/
http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/this-thursday-district-9-midnight-screenings/#commentsWed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 Anticipation is in the air as nerd boners stiffen and engorge across the country. The eagerly-awaited District 9 opens THIS THURSDAY AT MIDNIGHT and that means that YOU can be one of the first to see it. According to early buzz and our review, the movie is stellar. You should definitely stay up late to catch what looks to be one of this summer's best. I'd stay up to watch it but I've got to deliver my papers in the morning. It's my sworn duty and I intend to honor it. (District 9) Focus your eyeballs on these morning links... Some info about The Thing prequel. (/Film) Paul Giamatti replaces Sean Penn in The Three Stooges. (Empire) Sum Dood cast as Green Hornet's Kato. (Cinematical) Salma Hayek totally unshaven. (Dread Central) Doug Liman is the new Hero of the Hudson. (Cinema Blend) Awesome scenes from G.I. Joe cartoon box set. (io9) So happy that Tuco made this list. (Pajiba)

Anticipation is in the air as nerd boners stiffen and engorge across the country. The eagerly-awaited District 9 opens THIS THURSDAY AT MIDNIGHT and that means that YOU can be one of the first to see it. According to early buzz and our review, the movie is stellar. You should definitely stay up late to catch what looks to be one of this summer’s best. I’d stay up to watch it but I’ve got to deliver my papers in the morning. It’s my sworn duty and I intend to honor it. (District 9)

]]>http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-news/this-thursday-district-9-midnight-screenings/feed/0REVIEW: ‘DISTRICT 9′http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-review/review-district-9/
http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-review/review-district-9/#commentsWed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000To Whoever Shut Down The Halo Film:I had my sneaking suspicions before, but now I can safely say that you are all complete idiots. Let me make one thing clear: I have yet to actually read why you shut down the Peter Jackson-produced and Neill Blomkamp-directed adaptation of the popular video game franchise Halo. I believe I read at one point that it was something related to money. I find this funny, because it seems like if you had just made the movie, it would have made tons of money. More money than you could ever imagine...

I had my sneaking suspicions before, but now I can safely say that you are all complete idiots. Let me make one thing clear: I have yet to actually read why you shut down the Peter Jackson-produced and Neill Blomkamp-directed adaptation of the popular video game franchise Halo. I believe I read at one point that it was something related to money. I find this funny, because it seems like if you had just made the movie, it would have made tons of money. More money than you could ever imagine…

Why am I confident of this? For two reasons: 1) Halo was the most popular game of all time for a five year span and 2) I saw District 9 at Comic-Con, which could have also been aptly titled, Hey, Dudes Who Shut Down The Halo Movie: You F*cked Up BIG TIME. It makes no mention to the story or plot of the film, but I think it is an accurate representation of what this film stands for. This film could have been Halo, but you guys screwed yourselves.

The aforementioned screwing of yourself is no longer of any concern to me, because frankly, District 9 is a smarter and more action-packed story than what you guys probably would have tried to get them to do with a Halo flick. My guess is you would’ve pushed for a PG-13 rating to get more people in seats. Also, you would have cast Brad Pitt as Master Chief, if given the chance. Instead, Jackson and Blomkamp went straight for the jugular with a very violent R, and then made the choice of casting one of Blomkamp’s friends, a non-actor, mind you, in the lead role. I suppose you would find that to be a disaster, wouldn’t you?

Well, turns out it isn’t at all. Peter Jackson came out before the screening, and announced confidently that he was proud with the film they made that turned to not be Halo. I knew at that point I was in good hands for the next two hours. The action and violence in the film features the most crowd-pleasing moments in a sci-fi splatter fest since Starship Troopers came twelve years ago. It’s hard to imagine that it’s been 12 years since a good and gory sci-fi action film came out, which I think was made even harder because I was expecting a badass Halo movie three years ago. Oh, and the non-actor, Sharlto Copley? He’s unbelievably good. He could have been given, I don’t know, Master Chief-style body armor, and still have communicated realistic emotional distress better than half of the A-listers in Hollywood. He even stuck around at the screening and took photos or signed autographs with everyone who was fawning over him after the movie was finished, because he’s not all Hollywood and realizes that if fans like him, they’ll support him (as opposed to you guys, who seem to treat them only as cash machines).

Copley’s performance also speaks a lot to the film’s director, the first-timer it seems you guys were worried about having at the helm. He took his school friend and a documentary style approach and made one of the best sci-fi films of the summer, which isn’t an easy accomplishment considering his competition of the action romp Star Trek and the cerebral Sam Rockwell movie Moon. Blomkamp found a middle ground between these two films, balancing balls out action with introspection and even political commentary (segregation in South Africa? Could this movie be a metaphor for Apartheid? It doesn’t really matter, because the movie is too busy rocking socks off for people to care).

In conclusion, I’m still a little bitter that you screwed up the Halo film. But District 9 will slowly help that bitterness.

NIC CAGE DID NOT HIRE A VOODOO PRIESTESShttp://www.screenjunkies.com/general/nic-cage-did-not-hire-a-voodoo-priestess/
http://www.screenjunkies.com/general/nic-cage-did-not-hire-a-voodoo-priestess/#commentsWed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000While talking with HitFix, Nicolas Cage eschewed the rumors that he hired a Voodoo Priestess to remove a curse from the set of Sorcerer's Apprentice. Of course he didn't hire a voodoo woman to remove a curse from his set. He hired her because she has the best weed.Check out these other morning headlines... Just because Tony Kaye wants to direct Mickey Rourke's script doesn't mean that Tony Kaye will get to direct Mickey Rourke's script. (The Playlist)Ed Helms really yanked his tooth for The Hangover. (Cinema Blend)JJ Abrams set to produce Mission: Impossible 4: The Impossible Mission. (/Film)Todd McFarlane is delusional. (MTV)Hilarious book Ghosts/Aliens to be adapted into kinda-alright Comedy Central series. (Dread Central)England loves our poop. (io9)NEW District 9 trailer. (Pajiba)

]]>While talking with HitFix, Nicolas Cage eschewed the rumors that he hired a Voodoo Priestess to remove a curse from the set of Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Of course he didn’t hire a voodoo woman to remove a curse from his set. He hired her because she has the best weed.

Check out these other morning headlines…

Just because Tony Kaye wantsto direct Mickey Rourke’s script doesn’t mean that Tony Kaye will get to direct Mickey Rourke’s script. (The Playlist)